Hyderabad chocolate maker raided for unlabeled products and expired ingredients

Vignette Food Specialities Pvt. Ltd., a chocolate manufacturing and repacking unit operating out of Seetarambagh in Old Mallepally, Hyderabad, was raided on June 4, 2026 by a joint team from H-FAST (Hyderabad Food Adulteration and Safety Team), the Food Safety Department, and Habeebnagar police. Owner Konda Karthik was booked for alleged violations of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the labelling regulations framed under it.

The raid found packed chocolate products on the premises without manufacturing dates, batch numbers, expiry dates, or best-before dates. Flavours, essences, and colouring agents suspected to have crossed their expiry period were stored at the unit and were allegedly being used in active production. Officials also found that the products were being marketed using the details of an old FSSAI licence, even though the unit held a separate, current manufacturing licence.

Beyond the labelling and ingredient issues, the inspection revealed that pest control records were absent and medical fitness certificates for food handlers and staff were not available. Both are mandatory under FSSAI's Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011.

The seized stock included 200 kg of caramel chocolate in 20 boxes, 20 kg of choco balls in two cartons, three cartons of chocolate sticks, 40 boxes of marshmallow and jujube products, 32 cranberry chocolates, 22 paan chocolates, and 18 cashew chocolates. Four panning machines and two chocolate melting machines were also taken. The accused and all seized material were handed over to Habeebnagar police, and an investigation is ongoing.

What the violations actually mean under FSSAI rules

Under the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, every pre-packaged food sold in India must carry the name of the food, the list of ingredients, the net quantity, the name and address of the manufacturer, the lot or batch number, the date of manufacture, and the best-before or use-by date. Missing even one of these is a violation. Missing all of them, as alleged here, is a serious one.

The use of an old FSSAI licence number on products is a separate problem. FSSAI licences are tied to specific premises, specific product categories, and specific manufacturing conditions. Using a licence that no longer corresponds to the current operation means the products are effectively unlicensed, regardless of whether a valid licence exists in the owner's name.

The expired flavours and colourants are the most direct food safety concern. Flavouring compounds degrade over time and can produce off-flavours or, in some cases, compounds that were not present in the original formulation. Synthetic food colours approved under FSSAI's Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 are approved at specific purity levels. Once expired, there is no guarantee those purity standards hold.

The absence of pest control records and medical fitness certificates points to systemic gaps in hygiene management, not a one-off oversight. Under Schedule 4 of the Licensing and Registration Regulations, food business operators are required to maintain documented pest control programmes and ensure that food handlers are medically fit and certified.

What buyers and home cooks should do

The products seized in this raid were sold under the Vignette Food Specialities name, primarily in the caramel chocolate, choco ball, chocolate stick, marshmallow, jujube, and flavoured chocolate categories. If you have purchased any chocolate or confectionery product from this brand, check the packaging immediately.

A compliant pre-packaged chocolate product in India must show, on the label: the FSSAI licence number (14-digit), the name and full address of the manufacturer, a batch or lot number, the date of manufacture, and a best-before date. If any of these are missing, the product does not meet the minimum legal standard, regardless of how it tastes or how it was sold to you.

For gifting or bulk purchase of chocolates, particularly from smaller local manufacturers, ask the seller for the FSSAI licence number and verify it on the FSSAI FoSCoS portal. A valid licence on the portal does not guarantee hygiene, but an absent or mismatched one is a clear red flag.

Home cooks who buy flavouring essences and food colourants in bulk for baking should check the expiry date on every bottle before use. Many of these products are sold in large quantities to small manufacturers and home bakers alike, and the temptation to use a nearly-empty bottle past its date is common. The expiry date on a food additive is not a suggestion.

The broader pattern here is familiar to anyone who follows FSSAI enforcement actions. Small and mid-size food manufacturers in India frequently operate with valid licences but lapse on the day-to-day compliance requirements: updated labels, current additive stocks, documented hygiene records. H-FAST has been active in Hyderabad across multiple categories, and this raid is part of a continuing pattern of enforcement in the city's older commercial neighbourhoods. Whether the case results in a conviction or a compounding of the offence under Section 32 of the Food Safety and Standards Act will depend on the investigation now underway at Habeebnagar police station.